Trolley-controller.



No. 698,532.. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

P. n. MILLOY.

TROLLEY CUNTROLLER. (Application filed Mar. 28, 19015 (No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet -I.

INVENTOR awg aTmRNEYs.

2 Shuts-Shea! 2.

I VEN R x Q K flTTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 29, I902. P. D. MILL 0Y. TBOLLE Y CONTROLLER,

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1901.)

(No Model.)

WIT NESSES ma Noam: PETERS cov PnoTmJmm WASHINGTON, o. c.

UNIT STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER D.'MILLOY, OF BUFFALO, YORK, ASSIGN OR TO AUTOMATIC TROLLEYCATCHER' AND CONTROLLER COMPANY, OF SYRACUSE,

NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TROLLEY-CONTROLLER.

SPECIFIGATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 698, 532, dated April29, 1902. Application filed March 28, 1901. Serial No. 53,300.(Nomodel-J To all whom itinwy concern: 1 3

Be it known that 1, PETER D. MILLoY, of

- Buffalo, in the county of Erie, in the Stateof New York, have inventednew and useful Iniprovements in'Irolley-Controllers, of which thefollowing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is afull, clear, and exact description.

My inVentiOnrelates to improvements in trolley controllers,- having moreparticular reference to the means for preventing the upward movement ofthe trolley-arm when the trolley accidentally leaves the wire.

The object 'of this invention is to provide means connected to s thetrolley-arm by the trolley-operating cord for preventing upward movementof thetrolley-arm when the trolley is accidentally displaced from thetrolley-wire or conductor.

The further object of this invention is to provide a suitable take-upmechanism for permitting the vertical movement of the trolleyarm whilepassing along a conductor arranged at varying heights from the road-bed,or, in other words, to automatically take up the slack of theoperating-cord for the trolleyarm.

A further object of this invention is to so support the operatingmechanism for preventing the upward movement of the trolleyarm as topermit .it to automatically adjust itself as the cables or cords arewound upon the drums in order that the cord for tensioning themainspring andthe operating-cord for the trolley-arm may not becomeentangled one with the other or displaced, and a still further object isto so construct the support as to permit ready access to the operatingparts Without in any way dissembling the device.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination, andarrangement of the parts of a trolley-arm-controllin g mechanism,1 ashereinafter fully described, and pointed out inthe claims}.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of myinvention viewed at right angles to each other, the lower portions beingbroken away for disclosing the interior leased in Fig. 2.lperspective,of the detached operating mechmechanism theoperating-spring being shown in its operative position in Fig. 1 and asre- Fig. 3 is a View, partially in anism for'the trolley-arm, the springbeing shown in'its inoperative position, as seen in Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5,and 6 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines A A, Fig. 2, BB, Fig. 1, and C C, Fig. 4:. Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views taken,respectively, of lines D D and E E, Fig. 2.

1 Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

My invention consists, essentially, of an in closing case or frame 1, asuitable take-up device 2 for the operating-cord 3 of the trolleyarm, aspring-motor 4, means for tensioning the springmotor, and one or morecatches 5 for holding the spring in its tensioned position. a

The supporting case or frame 1 may be of any desired form, size, ormaterial, but preferably consists of a metallic cylinder having aremovable flanged base 7 and terminating at its upper end in an enlargedhead 8, the base 7 being provided with an annular flange extended intothe lower cylindrical end of the frame 1 and secured thereto by suitablefastening means, as screws 9, said base being an ranged to be secured tothe floor or platform of a car.

The upper end or head 8 of the frame 1 is provided with a guide-opening10 for receiving the outgoing end of the operating-cord, which isattached to the trolley-arm in a manner well known and not necessary toherein illustrate or describe, said upper end or head being alsoprovided with opposite substantially flat walls, one of which is formedwith an opening 11, and the other wall is provided with a circulartoothed rack 12 for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. The opening 11 ispreferably formed of suflicient diameter to permit the insertion andwithdrawal of the take-up device 2 and also other smaller mechanismswhich it maybe desired to insert through said opening. This opening 11is closed by a suitable cap 13, which usually consists of a circularplate or disk having one of its side edges provided with aninwardly-projecting shoulder 14, arranged to interlock with the adjacentedge of the opening, and is preferably inserted between-suitable pins'15 for preventing lateral or peripheral movement of the plate 13. Ialso provide said plate with a hook-shaped lug 16, which is arranged atthe opposite edge of the plate and engages a suitable clamping-screw 17,movable in a threaded aperture in the adjacent portion of the frame. Thewall of the frame 1, opposite the opening 11, is provided with aninwardlyprojecting stud or spindle 18, having a series of ball-bearings19 at its base, which are adapted to receive and support one end of therotary take-up mechanism 2,the other end of said take-up mechanism beingsupported upon the conical bearing 19, which is formed on the inner endof a screw adjustably mounted inthe circular plate or disk 11 atsubstantially its central point, said bearing being adjustable towardand away from the ball-bearings 1-9 forcornpensating for the wear of thebearings and also serving to reduce the friction between the rotarytake-up mechanism and its bearings.

In order to permit access to the interior of the intermediate portion ofthe supporting frame or casing 1,1 usually provide the frame with anadditional opening 20, which is closed by a suitable closure 21, hingedat 22 to the frame 1, and its QPPosite end is held in position byapivoted catch 23, movable into and out of engagement with the movableend of the door or closure 21.

The take-up mechanism for the operatingcord of the trolley-arm consistsof a rotary drum mounted upon the bearings 19 and 19 and a spring-motor24, arranged within said drum and having one end connected to thespindle 18 and its other end connected to the drum, whereby the drum maybe rotated in one direction automatically for winding the cord upon thedrum, and thereby taking up and letting out the rope or operating-cordto conform to the varied height of the trolleyarm during its travelalong the conductor. The operating-cord 3 is secured at one end to theperiphery of the drum 2, and its other end is attached to thetrolley-arm in the usual manner.

Secured to the face of the drum 2, adjacent to the circular rack 12, isa pawl 25, which is pivoted at one end to said drum, and its other endis movable into and out of engagement with the teeth of the circularrack 12 for the purpose of holding the drum from rotary movement in thedirection which unwinds the operating-cord therefrom, or, in otherwords, in the direction opposite to the movement transmitted thereto bythe spring 24. This dog or pawl 25 is normally held out of engagementwith the teeth of the circular rack .12 by a light coil-spring 27,coiled around its pivot and engaged therewith in any wellknown manner,andis adapted to be moved outwardly into engagement with the teeth ofthe circular rack by the centrifugal force incidental to the rapidrotation of the drum 2 by a mechanism hereinafter described.

In order to permit the insertion or removal of the spring-motor 24within the drum 2, I preferably provide said drum witha removable cap28, which is held in position by fastening means, as screws 29, this capbeing formed with a conical bearing for the conical end of the screw 19.The means forimparting the necessary rapid rotary movement to the drum 2for forcing the pawl 25 into engagement with the teeth of the circularrack 12 consists of the operating-cord of the trolleyarm andincidentally of the coil-spring motor 4, having its lower end fixed fromendwise movement to the base 7, being preferably swiveled thereto by asuitable bolt 29 and its upper end secured to a vertically-movable head30, having an upright bracket 3l, provided with a sheave 32, saidbracket being movable vertically independently of the-head 30 and isconnected to pivoted arms 33, which in turn are arranged to move thecatches 5 out of operative position for releasing the spring-motor 4.The sheave 32 is mounted upon or connected to the intermediate portionof the operating-cord of the trolley-arm, said cord being passeddownwardly around the lower face of the sheave and then upwardly andconnected to the trolley-arm, as previously stated.

The catches 5 are mounted in suitable ways formed in the head 30, areadapted to engage shoulders 34 upon the inner face of the frame 1 forholding the spring 4 in its extended or tensioned position, said catchesbeing held in engagement with the shoulder bya spring 35, which tends toforce the catches 5 simul taneously away from each other and intoengagement with the shoulders 34. These catches 5 are formed withshoulders which are arranged to interlock with similar shoul ders formedupon the arms 33, so that when the bracket 31 is elevated a slightdistance the arms 33 are rocked upon their pivots, and the shoulders ofsaid arms engage the similar shoulders upon the catches 5, therebywithdrawing said catches from engagement with the shoulder 34 andreleasing the upper end of the spring, which returns to its normalinoperative position, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, with considerable force.It is thus evident that as the operating-cord for the trolley-arm istensioned at both ends and that the upper end of the spring carrying thesheave 32 is supported upon the intermediate portion of the trolley-cordsaid cord .is instantly drawn downwardly with great force, therebytensioning the spring-motor within the drum 2 and also drawing thetrolley-arm downwardly. It is further apparent that by the sudden upwardmovement of the upper end of the cord 3 the drum 2 is rotated withconsiderable velocity, which moves the pawl 25 outwardly by centrifugalforce into engagement with the teeth of the circular rack 2,- and thatassoon as the said pawlis forced into engagement with the teeth of saidrack the drum ceases to rotate, and the trolley-arm is drawn downwardlywith considerable force and held from further upward movement.

The means for elevating and tensionin g the spring-motor 4'preferablyconsists of an'automatic take-up drum 37, a sheave 38, connected to thehead 30, and an operating-cord or equivalent device39, having one endsocured to the periphery of the drum 37 and its other end passeddownwardly and beneath the lower face of the sheave 38 and upwardlythrough an aperturein the frame 1 and provided with a suitable handpiece41. The take-up drum 37 is similar to the take-up mechanism 2, beingsomewhat smaller in diameter, and is mounted upon a spindle 42, securedto the frame 1 and extending inwardly into the interior chamber ofsaidframe, said drum being provided with a spring-motor 43, arrangedwithin the drum and tensioned to rotate the drum in substantially thesame direction as the drum2, it being understood that the axes ofsaiddrums 2 and 37 are substantially parallel. The spindle 42 extends onlypartially across the interior chamber of the frame 1 and is providedwith suitable means, as a cotter-pin 44, for holding the drum fromendwise movement upon the spindle 42, said drum being also provided witha removable cap 45, similar to the cap 28 of the drum 2. The sheave 38is mounted upon the upper end of the bracket 45, the lower end of whichis secured to the head 30 by suitable fastening means, as screws 46,said bracket being extended above the supporting-bracket for the sheave32 and isformed with an opening for receiving saidsheave 32 and itssupporting-bracket and permitting thevertical movement of the sheave 32and its supporting-bracket 31-. In order to reduce thefrictionincidental to the movement of the cord 39 through the opening 40of the frame 1, I

preferablyprovide anadditional sheave or pulley 47, which is mountedupon a spindle 48, carried by suitable cars 49, which form a portion ofthe frame 1. i

In the operation of my invention, assume that the spring-motor 4 is inits normal position, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, in which instance thecord uponthe drum 37 is substantiallyunwound, as seen particularly inFig. 3, it being understood that the spring-motor 43 is tensioned whenthe operating-cord 39 is in the position seenin Figs. 2 and 3. Theoperator then draws upwardly upon the handpiece 41, thereby elevatingthe free end of the spring-motor 4 until the catches 5 automaticallyengage the shoulders 34, whereby the spring is held in its extended ortensioned position. The handpiece 41 is then released, and'the drum37isautomatioally rotated by the spring 43 for taking up the slack of thecord 39. During the movement of the trolley alongthe wire orfconductor(not illustrated) the operating-cord for the trolley-arm. is slightlytensioned by thespring-motorof the drum 2, thereby taking up the slackof *said operating-cord 3 and permitting the trolleyarm to movevertically to conform to the varied-heights of the trolley-wire, saidcord rendering through the sheave 45 under normal conditions withouteffecting the releasing of the upper end of the spring-motor 4, it beingunderstood that the normal movement of the operating-cord 3 through thesheave is gradual, the spring between the catches 5 being sufficientlystiff to prevent the withdrawal of the catches from the shoulders34,'except when a sudden jerk or pull is imparted to the sheave 45andits supporting-bracket 32,which,it will be noted,is connected towithdraw the catches 5 from the shoulders 34 1 for releasing thespring-motor 4. Should the trolley accidentally leave the wire orconductor, the sudden upward movement of the trolley-arm and theoperating-cord connected thereto causes-the drum to be rotated a limiteddistance with suificient speed to force the pawl 25 intoengagement withone of the teeth of the rack 12. This action of the pawl instantlychecks the further movement of the drum 2, and the operating-cord beingtensioned at its other end by the upward tendency of thetrolleyarminstantly elevates the sheave 45 and its supporting bracket forwithdrawing the catches 5 from the shoulders 34, and thereby releasingthe spring 4. The downward movement of the upper end of' the spring 4,carried by its retraction, draws the free end of viously described andthe operation repeated as often as the trolley accidentallyleavesthewire.

, It is apparent from the foregoing description that the operation of'myinvention" is entirely automatic; that immediately upon theaccidental displacement of the trolley from the trolley-wire thetrolley-arm is automatically drawn downwardly in a plane b'eneath the'trolley-wire, thereby obviating all liability of damage to the overheadwires or any part of the trolley mechanism, and also relieving theliability of short circuits or any otherdangers incidental to-thedisplacement of the trolley.

The'operation ofmy inventionwillnow be readily understood upon referenceto the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it willbe noted that; some change be made in the detail construction andarrangement of thep'arts of my inventionwithout departing fromthe spiritthereof. Therefore I do not limit myself to the construction andcombination as shown and described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isl 1. A trolley-controller comprising asupport, an extensible spring having its lower end fixed to the supportfrom endwise movement and its other end movable vertically, meansconnected to the free end of the spring for extending and tensioning thesame vertically, a catch mounted on said free end of the spring forinterlocking with a portion of the support and holding the springtensioned, and an operating-cord or its equivalent connected to thecatch whereby the sudden tensioning of the cord operates to release thecatch and spring for the purpose described.

2. A trolley-controller comprising a support, an extensible springhaving its lower end swivel-connected to the support and fixed fromendwise movement and its other end movable, means connected to the upperend of the spring for tensioning the same, a catch mounted on the freeend of the spring and adapted to interlock with the support for holdingthe spring tensioned, and an operating-cord or its equivalent connectedto the catch and to the trolley-arm whereby the sudden tensioning of thecord operates to release the catch and spring for the purpose specified.

3. A trolley-controller comprising a support, a spring having its lowerend fixed from endwise movement and its other end adapted to be extendedor tensioned vertically, means for extending the spring, a catch mountedon the free end of the spring and arranged to automatically interlockwith a portion of the support when the spring is tensioned,a sheaveconnected to the catch, and a cord connected to the support and sheaveand adapted to be connected to the trolley-arm, said catch and springbeing released by the sudden tensioning of the cord for the purpose setforth.

4-. The combination with a support, a trol ley-arm-operating cord or itsequivalent, and a take-up device for the cord, of a spring fixed at oneend from endwise movement and having its other end extensible verticallyand provided with a spring-actuated catch for engaging the support andholding the spring tensioned, said catch being released by the cord asand for the purpose specified, and means for extending or tensioning theformer spring.

5. The combination with a support and an automatic take-up device forthe trolley-armoperating cord, a spring having one end swiveled on thesupport and its other end extensible and provided with independentsheaves one being engaged by the trolley-arm-operating cord, a flexiblemember connected to the other sheave for tensioning the spring, and acatch connected to the former sheave for engaging the support andholding the spring in its tensioned position, said former sheave beingmovable by the cord for releasing the catch and spring. I

6. The combination with a support, atrolley-arm-operating cord or itsequivalent, and a spring having one end fixed from endwise movement andits other end extensible and provided with a sheave,atake-up drum mounted on the support,a flexible member connected to the take-up and to thesheave whereby the spring may be tensioned, and a catch for holding thespring tensioned,said catch being connected to the operating-cord of thetrolleyarm for the purpose specified.

7. The combination with a support having its opposite walls providedwith bearings, one being adjustable toward and away from the other, acircular toothed rack concentric with one of the bearings, a take-updrum mounted on the bearings and provided with a centrifugally-actuatedpawl adapted to engage the teeth of the rack as described, and atrolleyarm-operating cord connected to the drum.

8. The combination with a support and a take-up device for thetrolley-arm-operating cord, a swivel connected to the support, a springhaving its lower end fixed from endwise movement to the swivel, and itsupper end extensible and provided with a catch for engaging the supportand holding the spring tensioned, a second take-up drum between thespring and former drum, and flexible means connected to the second drumand to the up per end of the spring for tensioning the spring.

9. In a trolley-controller, the combination with a support havingseparated bearings, one being adjustable toward and away from the other,a spring-actuated take-up drum revolubly mounted on said bearings, and atrolleyarm-operating cord connected to the drum.

10. In a trolley-controller, the combination of a support havingseparated walls one being provided with a ball-bearing and the otherbeing removable and provided with an adjustable cone-bearing, and arevoluble spring-actuated take-up drum mounted on the bearings andhaving one end of a trolley-arm-operating cord connected thereto.

11. The combination with an inclosing case or frame having innerengaging shoulders, an extensible spring within the frame and having itslower end fixed thereto from endwise movement and its upper end providedwith a catch adapted to engage the shoulders when the spring isextended, means connected to the upper end of the spring for tensioningthe same, and a take-up device supported in the frame and connected tothe operating-cord of the trolley-arm, said cord being connected to thecatch for efiecting the release of the spring and the spring serving todraw the cord downwardly.

12. In a trolley-controller the combination of an inclosing case orframe having an engaging shoulder, an extensible spring having one endfixed from endwise movement to a swivel and its other end movable andprovided with a catch for engaging said shoulder and holding the springtensioned, independlent engaged with the lower face of the other entsheaves connected to the upper end of the sheave and having one endconnected to the spring and movable therewith,one of the other drum andits other end provided with sheaves being movable vertically independahandpiecefor the purpose set forth. r5 5 ently of the spring,independent takeup In witness whereof Ihave hereunto set my drumsmounted on the frame, a cord or its hand this 14th day of March, 1901.

equivalent en "a ed with the lower face ofthe I it T sheave connected tothe catch and having PETER MILLOL one end connected to one of the drumsand Witnesses:

H, E.- CHASE, MILDRED M. No'r'r.

10 its other end adapted to be connected to the trolley-arm, and asecond cord or its equiva

